Long after the waves had ripped through her life with the force of a jet, long after the rubble had been cleared away, the woman sat in her half-built house and talked about what had become of her family, her village, her idea of community.

Despite their protests that parliamentary elections will be a sham, Pakistan's political opposition seemed Friday to be lining up for a chance to take part -- with one former prime minister readying her candidates and another taking steps to return from exile.

Pakistan's government on Friday denounced an international organization's suspension of its membership, while an opposition party said its exiled leader was taking key steps to return to the emergency-ruled country.

Pakistan's military ruler faced new challenges Friday after an opposition party said its exiled leader would make another attempt to return home and the Commonwealth suspended the country's membership until it restores democracy.